If controversial fighter Rousimar Palhares brings any unsportsmanlike conduct into the World Series of Fighting cage, he will be fired.

WSOF President Ray Sefo said on Tuesday that he has a zero-tolerance policy regarding Palhares and the fighter’s now-infamous habit of holding submissions for too long.

“I will not tolerate any of that nonsense that happened before,” Sefo told MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday. “I’m pretty sure if he does it here, he won’t have somewhere else to go.”

Palhares made headlines after holding a leg-lock submission on Mike Pierce for what many said was too long at a recent UFC card in Brazil. The action was deemed unsportsmanlike by UFC officials, prompting company president Dana White to ban Palhares from competing in the Octagon ever again. Additionally, Palhares received a 120-day suspension from the Brazilian athletic commission.

Sefo explained that he was initially hesitant in signing Palhares to a deal. After discussions with the likes of Renzo Gracie, the UFC and MMA legend who reportedly defended Palhares for his actions, and dialogue with the fighter’s teammate, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Sefo said he changed his mind.

Ultimately, Sefo’s decision to follow through with signing Palhares came down to a combination of Gracie’s positive feedback and Nogueira’s insistence that the troubled fighter is seeking help for his problems.

“I was one of the people that said the same thing, that I wasn’t interested,” Sefo said about signing Palhares. “I don’t want to see someone get hurt … because of some silliness.

“Nogueira gave me his word that [Palhares] is looking into getting some help.”

Sefo added that Palhares understands “100 percent” that if he conducts himself in the WSOF similar to the way he did in his last UFC fight, the company will separate from the fighter.

Palhares is tentatively expected to make his WSOF debut in March, Sefo said, but no opponent has been selected as of yet.

Don’t they understand it’s a mental problem, not a judgement call? He’s obviously mentally f***** in the head. He’s asking a tiger not to kill its deer so bloodily, or else they’ll be kicked out of the “natural” animal habitat.

Jay Mcgarrity

“Nogueira gave me his word that [Palhares] is looking into getting some help.” What does that even mean, help on controlling his inner beast that wants to rip fighter’s legs off?

Chicago

Palhares seems like the kind of kid that ripped the wings off of a fly.

fsunoles10

dude is just a nut job, he will end up doing it again cuz in the heat of the moment while getting punched in the face there isnt anything in a persons mind telling them hey you better not do this or you’re gonna get cut, its more like grab this leg and pull as hard as possible. if that sounds like me taking up for him its not, i dont like the guy but im just saying he will end up doing it again in the heat of the moment.

Milosc

While I share your disdain for what he did, let’s remember that the issue is holding a submission ‘after the referee says to stop’, not cranking hard on submissions altogether

If that were the case, we’d have to group-in people who ‘punch or kick as hard as possible in the heat of the moment’… or take Ronda Rousey’s habit, disassembling several of her opponent’s arms, into closer consideration.. you see were that goes?

When the ref says stop, he better stop. That’s all

Chicago

He cranked on the sub vs Tomasz Drwal. ripped that poor SOB’s ligament out of his knee.

When your opponent is screaming, and tapping, when the ref taps, then literally jumps on you because you’re destroying someone’s ability to walk, that’s a hell of a lot more than “for what many said was too long”

He didn’t get paid, got fired, and was banned for fighting for 6 months, not a lot of debate.

Chase Brian Beebe

i read somewhere he had a mental problem

Pat Garret

The guy Palhares , is a sadist he enjoys hurting people. I also check out his bjj tourney days. He did the same thing ,held on to the leg lock way too long,on a few opponents.The guy I’m sure swears up and down he won’t ever do it again, but in the heat of battle. Let’s wait and see what happens…

Palatarded

LOL give him Fitch or Burkman see if any of those two will fight him.

DCee

Palhares, SMH. You’re lucky to even to be given a shot at another major promotion. All I hope and pray for is that he keeps within the fight, not after the ref waves it off. Good looking out to Sefo for putting his foot down on this. He won’t tolerate it, WSOF/NBC will not as well. I hope for the best, but I expect Palhares’ sadist side may creep up if he begins to get cocky.

Lucas Freire

I don’t understand how was it any different than UFC’s little boy Mir cranking Lesnar’s leg while he tapped.
What else I don’t understand is how everyone supports guys giving extra hits “just to make sure” and condemn his actions like this.

“Oh, but he could sever the ligaments.” I guess brain damage isn’t that scary anyway, just wondering how many times Bisping’s brain bounced on his skull after he was KOed and hit by a falling truck on the loss against Hendo.
No, I don’t think he was doing the right thing, but what the hell? 99% of the fighters can’t help delivering 2-Infinite punches while the opponent is clearly unconscious but he’s a psycopath because he holds a lock for 1s more?

Stockhouse MMA

watch UFC 1, 2 and on. The sht palhares is exactly what golden boy Royce Gracie did… chew on that

dgs

So you expect what a fighter did 20 years ago, when the sport was brand new in America, to have any relevance whatsoever to how a fighter conducts himself in 2013? Really, really, really bad analogy on your part.

Any fighter who continues their assault (whether that be a submission, punches, etc.) on their opponent after the ref steps in to break them up, has NO business fighting professionally, period.